Colliding Breezes
by James Douglas
Summary: Everyone has demons... Some more real than others.


Disclaimer: I own nothing here  
  
Suing me is like suing air  
  
Nothing gained but air...  
  
Colliding Breezes  
  
Part One:  
  
The bright sunshine casts a warm glow on the young, scruffy haired boy as he dashes out of the house with a Silver Star fighter in hand. His mother stands contently in the doorway as the boy runs into the nearby fields where other kids where playing.  
  
"Be careful Kitsune-chan!" she cries, "Stay away from that well!"  
  
The young boy just waves back as he dashes over the hill. As he steers the star fighter towards the well, he runs into another child just like him. The second young boy shoves Kitsune-chan to the ground and snatches the star fighter away. Kitsune-chan jumps to his feet and takes a wide swing at the second boy. He just shines his evil grin as he picks Kitsune-chan and tosses him into the well.  
  
"There is nothing that you can possess that I cannot take away." The second boy smirks.  
  
Years later, a dead calm surrounds the Soyokaze as it gracefully drifts through the Kagami Nebula, sector DS-24. On the bridge, Helmsman Katori sits at his station in a deep meditative state as the autopilot light slowly blinks on his terminal. Tylor and Lt. Kim sat at the map board quietly playing space cards. He breaks out in a sheer cold sweat as he glances over his cards. Kim just sits there completely unruffled. She swiftly places down three cards and drew three more. She glances over towards Tylor with an unconcerned look on her face.  
  
"How many you want Captain?" she asks.  
  
Tylor stammers as he picks his cards.  
  
"Two," he finally pipes up.  
  
With a flick of her delicate wrist, Kim spins Tylor two cards. He cautiously picks them up and winces at the sight of his hand. Kim flashes an evil grin as she tosses a few buttons into the pot. Tylor pushes his two buttons into the center of the table.  
  
"I call," Kim announces, "High Command!"  
  
Tylor felt his jaw drop as the last words entered his ears.  
  
"A pair of Admirals," Tylor squeaks.  
  
Kim pops up and squeals with delight as Tylor slumps down lower in his seat. She flashes the victory sign in Tylor's face and began to do a little dance around the bridge. Tylor slowly stumbles back to his command chair.  
  
"That's game 15!" Kim cries.  
  
"You're a real card shark aren't you Lt. Kim," Tylor said.  
  
"During shows, the models and I use to play rolling card games during dressings." Kim replies, "beat'em ever time."  
  
Both Kim and Tylor take their place back on the map board.  
  
"I have to admit that you're the best player I have ever met,"  
  
"Well, thanks," Kim shyly accepts the compliment  
  
"Maybe this hand you'll take it easy on me?" Tylor asks.  
  
Kim shines her sweet smile as she began to shuffle the cards. Tylor reciprocates the smile and quickly picks up his cards.  
  
Just then, Yuriko strides onto the bridge with a clipboard in hand. Without blinking an eye, she takes her station and began jotting something down. She abruptly stops and slowly turns towards Tylor and Kim at the map board. She felt a sharp fit of rage surge through her tiny body because this is the fifth time Tylor was caught goofing off on duty.  
  
"Captain!" she screams  
  
Both Tylor and Kim drop their cards and look at Yuriko with a surprised look on their faces. Yuriko's face began to burn a bright red a she stomps over to them.  
  
"We're supposed to be on patrol here!" Yuriko said, "This is the fifth time you have been goofing off!"  
  
Kim glances around the bridge and glances down at her watch.  
  
"Look at the time," Kim said, "I have to go do something somewhere on the ship."  
  
Kim bolts out of the bridge, leaving Tylor and Yuriko pretty much alone on the bridge.  
  
"I keep telling you that you can't play cards while on duty," Yuriko scolds, "but you just keep doing it."  
  
"Well..." Tylor stammers, "there's nothing to do here."  
  
"You're supposed to be looking out for an enemy fleet!"  
  
Tylor rolls his eyes at Yuriko.  
  
"They're not in this sector." Tylor whines, "and if they were, they would of attacked use by now."  
  
Yuriko stares down Tylor and give a loud huff before returning to her station. Tylor walks up behind Yuriko. She jumps back up and stares right in his eyes.  
  
"I just don't know what to do with you," Yuriko cries  
  
Tylor began to scratch the back of his neck in embarrassment and flashes her a bright smile.  
  
"That's what I like about you," Tylor said, "your persistence is unlimited,"  
  
Suddenly, the Soyokaze pitches to the left. Sending Yuriko into Tylor's arms. Yuriko slightly hesitates before jumping back onto her feet and nervously straightening her uniform.  
  
"Sorry about that," She mutters as she ran back to her station.  
  
Tylor stands there completely stun as Lt. Kim and Yamamoto enter the bridge. Yamamoto walks up to Tylor.  
  
"What did you do now?" Yamamoto interrogates  
  
Kim quickly takes her station and begins to scan the surrounding area. The scanner quickly picks up a lone ship.  
  
"Captain," she shouts, "enemy cruiser at thirty light seconds."  
  
Tylor snaps out of his daze and quickly takes his seat.  
  
"On screen!" he said in a Captain Picard voice  
  
Tylor and Yamamoto look on the overhead monitor to see a battered Raalgon cruiser firing on them. They then are discharging the torpedoes before they hit the Soyokaze. Yamamoto and Tylor glance at each other with a concerned look plaster on their face.  
  
"It's a trap," both said in agreement.  
  
"What are you going to do?" Yamamoto asks.  
  
Tylor slumps down in his chair and thought about it as Yuriko and Yamamoto hover above him. The Soyokaze kept pitching left and right as the crew waited for Tylor's command.  
  
"Captain," Yamamoto asks "I suggest that we disable the ship and run."  
  
Just then, the rest of the detachment fleet materializes right in front of them. Before Kim could tell the rest of them, the detachment fleet opened fire on the Soyokaze, causing it to pitch more violently.  
  
"Barrier holding!" Katori announces, "but are decreasing rapidly!"  
  
"Captain!" Yamamoto screams  
  
Tylor tightly wraps his arms around his chest and loudly groans as the bridge crew looks on.  
  
"Captain!" Lt. Kim screams, "all ships have seized fire and are targeting us."  
  
Without looking up, Tylor lifts his scruff head from his chest and stares directly at Katori.  
  
"Run!" Tylor said  
  
"Yes sir." Katori replies  
  
Katori rapidly punches in coordinates into the jump computer as the crew ran to their stations and buckle themselves in. Tylor glances with a harsh demeanor at the counsel with the Raalgon ships taking aim. He tightly clenches his fist as the last coordinates were typed in.  
  
"Ready for warp," Katori announces.  
  
"Prep for dimensional shift shock," Tylor said  
  
Yuriko glances at him with strange look plastered on her face.  
  
"He's acting like a captain," she mutters to herself, "Something is wrong here."  
  
"All hands ready?" Tylor asks, "engage emergency warp."  
  
Just as the Soyokaze enters the warp, the Raalgon ships opened fire on the fading ship. Three of the shells pass right through but one of them rips through a rear hull. The ship pitches sharply to the right, sending the bridge crew flying from their seats like rag dolls. Tylor clings to his chair as the rest of the crew slides to one side of the bridge. Yuriko, who had already strapped herself in; pitches forward and knocks her head on the counsel as a bright light fills the bridge.  
  
"We're hit!" she heard as she blacks out.  
  
Minutes later, she slowly sits up and rubs her head as she glances around the now empty bridge. She suddenly felt another presence on the bridge and spins around to see a dark figure towering over her. As she focuses her sight on the figure, it begins to take the shape of Tylor. The sudden chill that shot up her spine took her by surprise as the figure stomps pass her.  
  
"Captain?" she asks.  
  
Yuriko stands up and carefully treads towards the captain's chair. She places her hand on the back of the chair and turns it around to see a gristly faced Tylor staring back at her with his cold, dead eyes. A deep, pulsing scar runs diagonally down his right cheek. A soft gray streak runs a quick path from the back of his head and along side his scraggly part. He quickly seizes her by the wrist and flashes an evil smile in her direction.  
  
"I've got you now Yuriko Star," he softly growls.  
  
Yuriko gasps in terror as she shoots up from the bed. She frantically looks around the room to see Tylor sitting bedside, holding her hand. Tylor stands up and grabs her by the shoulders.  
  
"It's okay," he assures, "just calm down."  
  
Yuriko tightly wraps her arms around Tylor and begins to sob. Tylor began to gasp for air as she put the pressure on his already bruised ribs.  
  
"Let go, Let go!" Tylor screams.  
  
Harumi rushes into the sick bay with an alarmed look on her face. Yuriko release Tylor and wipes her eyes as Harumi comes to a stop by the bed.  
  
"What's wrong?" she puffs.  
  
Tylor strains his eyes in pain as he gently rubs his bruised ribs. He makes a weak okay gesture and slowly nods his head.  
  
"Everything is okay Harumi," Tylor assures.  
  
"If you say so Captain," she replies, "I'll just be in the next room if you need me."  
  
Harumi strides out of the room as Tylor turns back to Yuriko.  
  
"What is the matter Yuriko," Tylor asks.  
  
"Nothing Captain," she said, "just having a bad dream."  
  
Yuriko lies back down and turns away from Tylor as he scratches his bandaged head. He carefully shakes her by the shoulders and she shakes him off.  
  
"Are you sure that you don't want to talk about it?" pushes Tylor.  
  
"Go away!" she screams.  
  
Tylor just shrugs as he walks out of the sick bay. He briefly turns back to Yuriko at the door and just sighs.  
  
"Sometimes the best medicine is the "talking cure"." Tylor softly said.  
  
Minutes later, Tylor stumbles onto the bridge and glances around at his battered crew. Yamamoto stands up from the Yuriko's chair and salutes him with is one good hand.  
  
"Captain," Yamamoto said.  
  
"Mr. Yamamoto," Tylor replies.  
  
Tylor limps up onto the command platform and collapses in his chair. Then glances up at the monitor to get an idea of where they were?  
  
"Where are we?" He asks.  
  
"I have no idea?" Yamamoto replies. "I tried to pull up a chart and none match where we are."  
  
Tylor turns to Kim and leans forward in his chair. He quickly crashes to the ground. Yamamoto just looks up sighs.  
  
"What an idiot," he mutters to himself.  
  
Tylor struggles back into his chair and quickly dusts himself off.  
  
"Miss Kim," he said, "is there one else out there?"  
  
Kim turns back to her counsel and begins scanning the surrounding area. Suddenly, something interesting appeared on her screen.  
  
"Another USPF destroyer has appeared 20 light seconds away." She replies.  
  
"Put it on screen please."  
  
The outside shot quickly scanned the space field and focused in on a patch to zoom in on. They all gasp as the ship being zoomed in on looks a lot like the Soyokaze. Tylor turns back towards Kim.  
  
"Is that what I think it is?" He asks in a concerned tone.  
  
"That's weird, transponder codes match ours," she replies, "according to the scanner, it's the Soyokaze and it's moving in this direction.  
  
The other ship drew closer as Tylor rest his head in the palm of his hand and thought about what to make of this situation. Yamamoto hovers right above him with an even more concerned look on his now pale face.  
  
"What do you plan to do Captain?" Lt. Kim asks.  
  
Just then, the second Soyokaze opens fire on them, sending the crew sliding all over the bridge. Yamamoto grabs Tylor by the shoulder and turns him towards him.  
  
"Waiting for the command to return fire." Katori announces.  
  
"Give the command to return fire," Yamamoto barks.  
  
The Soyokaze shuttered as the second ship rained down upon it, pounding the ship's barrier till it almost faded out. Katori tries vainly to steer the ship out of the way but the second Soyokaze quickly disabled the ship's propellant systems. Leaving the First Soyokaze floundering in space. Yuriko manages to hobble onto the bridge as the second ship ceased fire. She quickly takes her station as Tylor glances back at her.  
  
"What are you doing here Yuriko?" he asks, "You should be in sick bay."  
  
Yuriko didn't answer him and turns back to her station. Lt. Kim on the other hand, turns to Tylor with a worried look on her face.  
  
"Captain," she said, "The other ship is hailing us."  
  
Tylor glances at Yamamoto and he responds by nodding his head.  
  
"Let's see what's going on here," he said, "patch it through Miss Kim."  
  
"Yes Captain."  
  
All of the bridge crew watched anxiously as the static slowly cleared to form the outline of a back of the command chair. The entire crew suddenly gasps as the chair spins around to expose another person that looks like Tylor. The only difference was that he was wearing a dark blue uniform.  
  
"I am Captain Justy Ueki Tylor of the United Planet Space Force Destroyer Soyokaze." The second Tylor said in a commanding voice. "Identify yourselves or you will be destroyed."  
  
Part Two:  
  
A sharp, icy chill ran up Tylor spine as he looks upon the war scared doppelganger. The dried scar on his right cheek seemed to draw attention by itself. The doppelganger leans forward in his chair to expose the light gray streak running alongside his part.  
  
The second Tylor flashed a wicked smile into the screen, which flooded Tylor's mind with images from his childhood. He flashes back to the angry shadow that stalked and threw him into a dried well when he was only ten. The last thing he saw as the darkness of the well wrapped tightly around him was that tarnished smile that is staring right at him. He tightly clenches his fist as the second Tylor continued. Yamamoto takes a brief double take before collapsing on the floor.  
  
"I repeat," the second Tylor commands, "tell us who you or you will be considered allied with the Raalgon Empire and will be promptly destroyed."  
  
Tylor glances back towards Yuriko who had a frightened look melted on her now pale face.  
  
"Yuriko," Tylor said, "Are you okay?"  
  
"That's him," she softly mutters under her voice  
  
Tylor leans forward to hear a little better.  
  
"What?" Tylor said  
  
Yuriko shakes her head to snap herself back to the situation. She started to fear that if she told the truth about what she dreamed, she would be laughed at. Taking a deep breath, she looks Tylor straight in the eye.  
  
"Captain," she said, "what are you planning to do about this?"  
  
Tylor turns back to the monitor and stares directly into the doppelgangers cold, dead eyes.  
  
"I am UPSF Captain Justy Ueki Tylor of the Soyokaze."  
  
"So we meet again Kitsune-chan!" the second Tylor scoffs  
  
"So we do," Tylor replies, "I take it you brought us here?"  
  
"Of course I did," the second Tylor replies, "because you have something I want."  
  
Tylor's rage quickly yields to confusion as he looks at him with a blank expression on his face. He quickly glances around at his crew and returns back to the monitor.  
  
"What?" Tylor blankly asks.  
  
"Lieutenant Commander Yuriko Star," he answers with a hint of malice, "I challenge you to a battle for Yuriko Star."  
  
The monitor faded to black as Tylor slumps back into his chair. Yamamoto turns to Tylor.  
  
"What is going on here?" Yamamoto asks, "who was that?"  
  
"That was my demon," Tylor bluntly said, "I thought I had seen the last of him when I was ten."  
  
"Impossible!" Yamamoto shoots back  
  
"No," Tylor replies in a serious tone, "For every man, there are angels as well as a demons. Only my demons are real."  
  
Yuriko slowly leans forward and rest her hand on his shoulder, which made Tylor turn in her direction. He carefully rests his hands on hers and look into her eyes. Tylor spins around towards Yamamoto with a stern look on his face.  
  
"Mr. Yama..."  
  
Tylor focuses in on Yamamoto who was completely still as statue. Tylor then glances around the bridge to see the entire crew frozen. He hops to his feet to get a better look when there was a sudden crash.  
  
"Tylor!" Yuriko cries.  
  
Tylor spins around just in time to see Yuriko vanish into thin air. Seconds later, He himself was blinded by a bright light and quickly found himself standing what seemed like a pier. The sounds of crashing waves could be heard off in the distance. He quickly glances down at his feet to see a silver putter lying there. Tylor gingerly picks it up and exams it; unaware of the Tylor's demon, Justy, drawing near and leisurely drawing his sword from it's death black sheath.  
  
Yuriko lifts up her aching head to see the blue suited Tylor stop and raise his sword over his head. She desperately lunges forward only to find that she was tied to the chair. Tylor on the other hand, tightly grips the putter by the handle and prepares to take a practice swing.  
  
Yuriko starts to scream at Tylor but nothing came out. Justy charges at Tylor. Tylor swings the club and smacks him upside the head, sending him and the club flying backwards. Tylor looks on with a concerned look on his face.  
  
Justy struggles on to his wobbly feet and flashes his blade towards Tylor. Tylor slowly begins to step backwards while tying to reason with Justy.  
  
"I should of killed you a long time ago Tylor," Justy murmurs, "And now you shall die while your beloved Yuriko helplessly watches."  
  
Justy point to Yuriko and Tylor glances over and gives her a nervous okay sign. She stares back at him with a crossed face that he sensed that she didn't believe him. He quickly turns his attention back to Justy.  
  
"Now young Kitsune-chan," Justy said in an ominous voice, "you will die."  
  
Justy raises his sword over his head again. Tylor takes one more step backwards and trips as Justy swings his sword down and lodging into the pier. Tylor's foot flings upward and smashes into Justy's face, causing him to stumble back. Tylor grabs the loose club and hops back on his feet as Justy is momentarily stun from the blow. Tylor quickly whips around to charge Justy, only to let go of the putter and it ends up hitting Justy right in the stomach, sending Justy over the railing and into the dark abyss below.  
  
Tylor dashes over to the railing and glances down to see nothing but black space. He suddenly felt a sense of loss as he scans the abyss.  
  
"Captain!" Yuriko screams, "get me out of this!"  
  
Tylor scrambles over to Yuriko and tries to untie the ropes. Realizing the worthlessness of the task, he quickly runs over to the sword and plucks it out of the pier. He hesitates as a rush of evil overcomes him.  
  
"Tylor!" Yuriko cries, "hurry up and untie me!"  
  
He quickly shakes the feeling off and slices through the ropes like butter. Tylor then plunges the sword back into the pier and removes his coat to drape it over Yuriko's shoulders. She tightly clutches the coat close as he leads her off the pier.  
  
Off in the back of her mind, she could hear a short, metallic, pinging sound. Yuriko pops open her eyes to find herself at her station back on the Bridge. She sits up, letting Tylor's jacket flop onto the floor; and glances around to see Tylor standing by the left Bridge door. He looks up with that goofy smile of his waves at her.  
  
"Was all of that just a dream?" she thought to herself.  
  
"Did you have a nice nap?" Tylor interrupts  
  
She rises to her feet and walks over to the other side of the command platform to find Tylor holding a putter. She carefully leans on the counsel for support.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asks.  
  
"Putting," He simply answers, "there was nothing to do so I decided to work on my game."  
  
"Do you even know how to play golf?"  
  
"Not a clue," Tylor snaps back,  
  
Tylor resumes putting, the ball makes an annoying, short pinging sound as it bounces down the short and narrow passage.  
  
Suddenly the door opens and Yamamoto, carrying a limp, teddy bear in one hand; stomps onto the bridge followed by the Doctor, Harumi, Katori, and Lt. Kim who were all in their pajamas. Both Yuriko and Tylor helplessly watch as Yamamoto silently walks towards Tylor, snatches the putter and snaps it in two over his knee. Letting the pieces fall to the cold, metal floor, Yamamoto walks off the bridge to the cheers of the four, letting the door slam shut behind him. Tylor just shrugs his shoulders and returns back to the command chair.  
  
"Oh well," Tylor sighs  
  
"It must of been all a dream," she thought, "there is not other reasonable explanation for it."  
  
Yuriko returns to her station with an even more confused feeling coursing through her body. She quickly shook it off and returns to her computer to chart out a course back home. Tylor on the other hand flashes a malicious smirk as he glances at Yuriko over his right shoulder.  
  
"Yes Lt.Cmdr. Star," he mumbles to himself, "it was all a bad dream." 


End file.
